Ponderosa Love
by Clementine Folchart
Summary: Every time Joe gets a girl, she is somehow taken away from him. This is the story of the girl who stayed.
1. Riding into Town

A/N: I don't own any of the characters or stories of Bonanza.

-

_Ruthie_  
I rode into Virginia City, tired, dirty, and hungry like no "lady" should be. But I'm not a lady. Never have been. Won't ever be.

The town hotel loomed up in front of me, clean and inviting. I kept riding past it to the livery. My stallion had to be taken care of first. He was tired, dirty, and hungry as well, probably even more so than me. I stopped at the livery, payed the man in charge, and groomed, fed and watered Lancelot. My saddle bags came with me to the hotel, where I checked in, got my key, and staggered up the stairs to my room. I then promptly flopped onto the bed and fell asleep in my clothes.

_Joe_  
All the girls that usually came into town looked prim and proper and clean. Not this one. She was the exact opposite of all those that had ridden into town before her. Dirty and exhausted, this girl was even more beautiful than all the others. And I had seen lots of other girls. Her brown hair hung limp in a braid down her back, and her pretty face was looking straight ahead.

I was waiting for Pa and Adam to be done in the bank when she rode by. Her saddlebags were packed full and she was riding a dun stallion. He looked tired too; they had obviously ridden quite a ways. She didn't even see me. Not that that was a problem. I'd get her to see me sooner or later. She went into the livery, then the hotel, and by that time, Pa and Adam were done in the bank. We rode home, and I was quiet the whole time, thinking of the girl.

_Ruthie_  
I woke up the next morning, refreshed from my sleep, but still feeling very dirty. I washed up best I could in the wash basin on the nightstand, then went down to the lobby and out to the street to find a bath house.  
Soon enough, I found a nice one, payed, and waited for the woman to draw my bath. I closed and locked the door, then slowly peeled off my dirty clothes. Stepping into the hot water, I felt all of the dirt melt off me. I sat there, enjoying myself, letting my muscles relax. They were sore from the many days on the trail.

I was riding away from my family. My mother and sister were dead, and my father had started drinking again. He didn't care about me anyway, so I just decided to leave. Everything I owned was in my saddlebags. I was kinda just traveling, seeing where the roads would take me. I didn't care, so long as they took me far away from my father and my dead sister and mother.

_Joe_  
I couldn't think of anything but that girl. I thought of her when I did my chores. I thought of her in bed, at night, in bed, in the morning. At the table, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. All the time.  
I had to do something about her.


	2. First Hoofsteps

A/N: I don't own any of the characters or stories of Bonanza.

-

_Ruthie_  
The next day, as I was getting up and out of bed, I had this odd feeling that I needed to go check Lancelot. I got these odd feelings quite often, and whenever I did get them, I made sure to heed them, as I did that time. I headed down to the livery, and when I got to Lancelot's stall, I found a man standing in front of the stall, his hand over the stall door, stroking my Lancer. It was quite unsettling, that handsome, dark-haired man standing at the stall door, and my horse letting himself be pet. Usually, my horse never let anyone touch him besides me.

"Sir, you are aware that you are touching my horse?" I asked the man.

He tipped his hat and answered, "No miss, I didn't know he was yours. I just had to come look at him, though, he's so handsome. My Pa has a dun stallion too."

"How interesting. What line's he from? My boy's from King Arthur. Beautiful stallion he was. Shame he died."

"Heard of that line. Never seen as fine a stallion from it as yours. What's his name?" This man was very inquisitive.

"Lancelot. But I call him Lancer. He's an amazing reiner, and he's real steady on the trail. Fast when I want him to be, too," I answered. I could talk horseflesh if need be. But now it was my turn to ask the questions.

"So, what's a horse literate man doing around these parts? I haven't met anyone who knows horses good as you for a whiles."

"My Pa owns the Ponderosa. We do some horse tradin' now and then."

"What's the Ponderosa?" I asked, confused.

"You've never heard of the Ponderosa? You sure must be from far away! Everyone 'round here knows that it's the biggest ranch for hundreds of thousands of miles. I feel sorry for you if you've not seen its beautiful land. Maybe I could show you around?" His eyebrow rose above his eyes just the slightest bit. It was intriguing. I didn't really know what to say, but my curiosity won me over.

"That sounds fine! Meet me at seven here tomorrow and-hey, I don't even know your name!"

He smiled a very charming smile and stuck his hand out.

"Joe. Joe Cartwright. And you?" I gave him my hand and we shook.

"Ruth Armenta. Pleased to meet you."

_Joe_  
I had made progress! I was elated. I was meeting her tomorrow and I was going to show her not only the beautiful countryside, but also my person.

I would bring her to all my favorite places on the Ponderosa, show her the tall ponderosa pines for which the ranch is named, the lake, the mountains, the great open meadows. She would be charmed not only by nature, but by me.

_Ruthie_  
The next day dawned, and I woke up with the sun, excited. Maybe the prospect of spending the day in nature and with a handsome man was getting to me. I washed, put on a fresh pair of culottes, then braided my hair and pinned it up. Very last, I stuck a small pistol in the waist of my culottes, and buckled on my gun belt. Yes, it was improper for a lady to carry a gun, but as I said before, I'm not a lady and won't ever be. And I didn't even know this man; he could be vile, for all I knew.

I then headed down to the stables, where I brushed, bridled, and saddled Lancer.

Lancer was prancing; he knew I was excited and he was getting infected by my excited energy. I took a moment to calm myself down. If Lancelot got out of control, it could be bad. Excited stallions are not good things.

Just as I was getting ready to walk out of the livery door and check to see if Mr. Cartwright was there yet, Mr. Cartwright himself walked through the big double doors of the livery, leading a handsome black and white paint gelding.

Mr. Cartwright smiled as soon as he saw me and tipped his hat at me. His hazel eyes twinkled underneath his black hat, his charming smile flashing at me. I noticed that his hair was curly; a few locks stuck out from beneath his hat. I also noticed his clothes: normal brown work pants and an off-white shirt, covered by a very unique green leather jacket. His black gun belt hung quite casually from his hip. He was left-handed.

I don't know why I noticed all these things. Usually I could have cared less what a man was wearing, but there was something interesting about this one.

_Joe_  
Even though her gaze just flickered over me for a second, I could tell she was taking me in. I liked it. I did my best to look good. But then I had to end it.

"How are you this fine morning, Miss Armenta? Are you ready for our ride?"

"Yes, very much so. I can't wait to see the land you praise so highly! Let's get going." She said this with conviction and a confident smile, then walked over to her horse and stepped up without any trouble at all. Few of the women I had met could step up on their horses without help. Obviously, this woman was an accomplished rider. I now not only found her attractive, but I respected her as well.

Her clothes only helped my view of her. Though I enjoyed women who dressed up, I found women who could work in their clothes highly appealing. I saw that if the women respected themselves, they had no need for fancy clothes. People who respected themselves were my favorite kind of people. I found that those kinds of people were the most interesting kinds of people.

A gold chain hung at her collarbone, most of it disappearing into her shirt. I wondered what was at the end of that chain.

_Ruthie_  
As he stepped up onto his paint, I smiled. I looked forward to what he was going to show me.

Beneath me, Lancer pranced a bit. I was letting my excitement out through the tension in my body, and my horse felt it. I took a deep breath, loosened my grip on the reins, and let my knees slacken just a bit. Lancer stopped prancing. I nudged Lancer's sides with my heels, and he moved to follow Mr. Cartwright's horse.

We trotted through Virginia City in the direction of the Ponderosa. Mr. Cartwright's paint had nice movement, and was getting excited. Even though I made sure I was calm, accidents happen, and Lancelot took in the other horses' energy. He reared, whinnying.

It was most likely a pretty picture if there would have been onlookers (there weren't), but for me, it was annoying. I leaned forward into Lancer's neck, and with a grimace, yanked on the bit and dug my heels into his sides. This brought my horse down, but it didn't take the excitement out of him. He still tried to buck me. I kept a firm grip on the reins, then yelled at Mr. Cartwright: "I have to run him, show him who's in charge!" Then I kicked Lancer's sides with all my might and he took off at a full gallop, kicking up dust with his heels.

_Joe_  
I spurred Cochise and we took off after Ruth and Lancelot. Her skill with her horse set her even farther apart from other girls. I was beginning to love her.

After about a hundred feet, she abruptly pulled Lancelot into a sliding stop, raising a cloud of dust. She spun him to the left, then the right, then left again, then pushed him backwards, then sideways, then stopped him and collected his neck. I saw his sides heaving. She was panting too. She took off her hat and fanned herself with it. I walked Cochise over to her.

"I'm sorry about all that, Mr. Cartwright. But you, if anyone, should know that a horse needs to know who's master, and I can't have him thinking that it's him." She fanned herself some more.

"I can't say anything other than that I admire your skill. Anybody else would have fallen off that horse. That was a sight," I answered, awestruck by her calm demeanor.

She laughed, then bowed slightly in saddle.

"Why thank you, Mr. Cartwright, you are most kind." She sat up straight again and looked at me, smiling. I smiled back. Her grin was infectious.

"You're most welcome, Miss Armenta. Oh, and please call me Joe. No one except folks that are selling me stuff call me Mr. Cartwright."

"Alright then, thank you, Joe." She laughed again. To hear her laugh was to hear the wind through the trees or the thunder of the hooves of a herd of horses or the babbling of a brook. It was beautiful.

We clucked to our horses and moved forward.


	3. Ponderosa Tears

A/N: I don't own any of the characters or stories of Bonanza.

-

_Joe_  
I took her to all of the most beautiful places on my ranch. The little spring, the rivers, the great meadows, the overlooks, the shore of the lake, and the Great Mother Oak were all admired by Ruth's shining eyes.

It seemed as though Mother Nature wanted me to give Ruth a good first impression; every place we went to almost equaled Ruth in its splendor. When we at last arrived at the Great Mother Oak, Ruth unsaddled her horse and tied him to a strap my brothers and I had fastened around the tree as a tether for our horses.

Her fingers flew over the straps of the saddle, lithe and skilled, knowing exactly what they were to do. The saddle fell off the sweaty horse and into her arms, which were equally skilled and strong. The saddle was set down, leaning on its horn so that it could air out. This woman really knew what she was doing.

The saddle was on the ground and then Ruth was on the ground, stretched out and relaxed. I unsaddled Cochise and set the saddle on the ground next to Ruth's. I lay down next to her. We were quiet, listening to the sounds of the wild. A smile danced over her lips.

"What are you thinking about? If you don't mind me asking, that is," I asked, cautiously.

"No, I don't mind. I was thinking that I haven't had this much fun in a while, what with-" she sighed and looked away. The beautiful smile had vanished, replaced by a pool of sorrow. I wanted to kiss her sadness away.

"With what?" I prompted quietly.

"Nothing that should wreck this beautiful day," she said, attempting to smile again. But I could tell that she still hurt. I stood up, offering her my hand.

"I want to show you something." She took my hand, and I pulled her to her feet. "Saddle up."

_Ruthie_  
Everything changed the second I let a sad thought cross my mind. And everything had been going so beautifully! And then I had to frown and ruin everything. Normally I would not have done that, as I keep my worries and feelings mostly to myself, my horse, and my journal. I was embarrassed.

But Joe was kind and offered his hand. When he helped me up, and we stood next to each other, I felt as I never before have in the presence of a man. I did not feel like a doll or an ornament or something to be taken care of. I felt as though he understood me and was there to help me.

At first, when I met this man, I had had my reservations about him. He seemed like he was one of the men that took advantage of women, under the guise of being a kind, good man. I had packed my gun, after all. I was smart enough not to let my guard completely down, but I felt as if this man was different. I held his hand there, under the big oak tree, and felt relaxed as I had not in a long time. I smiled at him and turned to pick up my saddle. I cinched up Lancer as he saddled his horse. We stepped up and reined our horses off, me following him, wondering where we were going. We ended up in front of a large boulder.

"Please step down here, we're going to walk the rest of the way." He was suddenly very solemn, a smile no longer playing on his face. His green eyes, under the brim of his hat, were full of sorrow.

We stepped down and tied up the horses. He led me to a small, very worn footpath. His hand was on my elbow, guiding me. We came around the corner of the boulder, and a breathtaking view of the lake came upon us.

His hand was no longer on my elbow, but holding his hat. I took my hat off as well, wondering what we were paying respects to. Then my eyes were drawn to a gravestone.

"This is my mother's grave. She died when I was very young." He looked away. His voice had dropped an octave. "I rarely bring anyone here. I just thought, seeing how sad you were-no. It was a silly idea. We should leave." He turned to go.

"No, no, wait! Joe, you don't know how much this means to me. My mother and my sister-" I stumbled over the words. "They died of the fever. I had already had it when I was young, but my mother didn't have it and neither did my sister. With my father being a drunk and spending all our money, I couldn't do anything to help-" I covered my mouth and turned away, holding in the sobs, not wanting him to hear me cry.

I felt his hand on my arm, gently squeezing. "It's alright to cry, Ruth."

I looked at him, and a single tear slid down his cheek. His hand on my arm sent shivers up and down my spine. It lent me strength. I had not felt this much pain over my mother and sister in all the time since I had traveled away from my father. But it was too much to bear. I fell to my knees in front of the beautiful view of the lake, shaking with sobs, my head in my hands, my hat thrown on the ground. I felt him kneel down beside me through my sobbing and put his arm around me. We stayed that way for a while, me crying and him holding me.


	4. Invitation

**A/N: I don't own any of the characters or stories of Bonanza.**

_Joe_

In those moments of silence and sobbing, my sadness overwhelmed me. I missed my mother so much. I missed having a mother. I missed being held in someone's arms who truly loved me.

I knew, too, that Ruth shared these feelings, and that hurt me even more; my heart hurt for the both of us. Bringing her up here had been a spur of the moment thing. I'm not sure why I chose to do it, but I'm glad I did. It formed a bond between Ruth and me that could not have been formed in any other way.

After a while of us crying together, she finally stood up. She wiped her tears and turned to me.

"Thank you for bringing me here and sharing this with me. I haven't cried this much about my mother since she died. And I haven't felt as close to her since she died either. Thank you, Joe."

"You are more than welcome, Miss Armenta," I quietly replied. I was still wrapped up in the sadness, too numb to feel.

"Now, Joe, I can't call you Mr. Cartwright, but you can call me Miss Armenta? No. Call me Ruthie." I could feel again.

"If you say so, Ruthie," I grinned. "Let's go back to town, it's going to get dark soon." So we walked back down the worn footpath and to where our horses waited.

Before Ruth mounted her horse, she hugged his neck, and he brought his head down to her head. She whispered something in his ear, and whatever it was brought a glint back to her eyes. Her face was still drowned in sorrow, but her eyes were glittering again.

We both stepped up into our saddles and walked our horses out of the little grove. As we followed the path back, the sun began to set, turning everything golden. Her brown hair was set afire, creating a halo around her head. Little hints of red could be seen, hidden among all the gold. And her horses' dun coat turned golden as well. She was a sun goddess, riding atop her fiery steed. It was something I'd not soon forget.

_Ruthie_

The sun went down on that beautiful evening then, ending an adventure that I had had. It felt time to leave again. I didn't want to become attached to any one person or place, and a small inkling of me knew that if I stayed I would become attached to this land and this man. So it was time for me to part with Joe.

We rode on in silence for a while, me thinking of how to explain to Joe that I had to leave after all his hospitality. Of course I didn't know what he was thinking, but it seemed serious.

We arrived back at the livery after a long ride. I was tired and sweaty, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to tell him that I needed to leave. I unsaddled Lancer, brushed him, and fed him, while Joe looked on. He still had to ride home.

He watered his horse, then stood there, in the livery doors, fiddling with one rein, his hat brim covering his face.

Just as I was about to explain that I was leaving, Joe spoke.

"I had a real nice time today, Ruth, and I was wondering if you'd like to come to dinner at my ranch-well my family's ranch-and meet my brothers and my Pa. I'd like them to meet you too, and well, it'd be real nice if we could see each other again," he blurted, all in one stream of words coming from his mouth. He was looking up at me now from under his black hat, his green eyes expectant, excited, hopeful. Lovely.

All of my desire to leave suddenly vanished. It wouldn't be so bad to become attached to this man and this land, I thought. And so I smiled at his lovely face and nodded my head. Then I walked past him out the livery doors, looking back when I was across the street one last time to glance at him, standing there in the dusk, with his green jacket and his black and white horse.

_Joe_

I saw the glance, the quick turn of her head, the sweet smile from behind her shoulder and underneath her hat brim. I saw it, and I reveled in it. It was at that moment that I knew she had said a small yes in her mind to me. It would not be easy to coax out more of those, but they would come, I knew it then.

It had been nerve-wracking, those few seconds after I spilled my guts. I wasn't sure if she would accept my invitation or not. I only knew I could not let her leave, I only knew that I wanted her to stay more than anything at that moment.

And as if I hadn't been embarrassed enough by crying in front of her, now I had made a fool of myself too, with my quick tongue. _What's going on, Joe? Usually you have more class, more style. Where has it all gone?_ I asked myself. And a deep part of me answered, but not with the answer I was expecting.


	5. Crystal

A/N: I don't own any of the characters or stories of Bonanza.

-

Ruth

My dress swished around my legs. No culottes that night; I was actually trying. I had washed my hair earlier, letting it dry and curl naturally. My face was clear and clean. My one flowered shirt was tucked into the top of my skirt. The skirt fell to the floor, much longer than my usual skirts. I had shined and polished my boots. Lancer wasn't coming with me, otherwise he would have been shined and polished too.

Joe was coming to pick me up in a buggy at five in the afternoon. He was due any minute. As a last precaution, I tucked my little pistol into my bag. I had just pulled the drawstring of the bag shut when someone knocked on my door. I smiled, walking to the door and opening it. And there he was, in his green corduroy jacket, leaning against the door frame, hand on his hip, feet crossed, hat tilted way down over his face; he cut a pretty picture.

"Are you ready, Ruth? The boys are rarin' to meet you," he said with a grin. I offered my hand to him, and he took it and raised it to his lips, keeping his eyes on me. I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up. I brought his arm to my side and tucked my elbow under his.

"Yes, I am, thank you. I'm excited for tonight too," I replied, trying to keep myself composed. He grinned back and we walked down the stairs and out of the hotel, where a freshly cleaned buggy was waiting, behind a big boned, perfectly proportioned, bay mare.

I couldn't contain my excitement over this horse. She was just too beautiful. I pulled away from Joe and hurried over to the horse, approaching her from her side, where she could see me, even with her blinders. I offered my hand to her, and she sniffed it, breathing my scent in and then snuffing it out all over my hand. I could feel her hairs on my skin, and it made me tingle. I looked her over, and it suddenly dawned on me that Joe had chosen her to pull us just for my pleasure.

I turned around and saw him there, grinning, his smile giving him dimples, his eyes squinting because of his laugh. And I smiled back at him.

I stepped up into the buggy, Joe walked around to the other side, hopped up, and took the reins. With a snap of leather we were off. The ride was smooth, as the horse was a good buggy horse and the buggy was good itself. I smiled the whole time. There was no need for talk, as the bumping of our shoulders against each other sufficed for words.

When we arrived at the Ponderosa, the large log cabin was lit up, warm light streaming out of every window, welcoming me. As soon as the buggy pulled up, the big oak door was opened wide and three men walked out, smiling. Joe tied up the reins and ran around the back of the buggy, stumbling over himself to help me out, even though I was already halfway out. I took his offered hand and gathered up my skirts, stepping gingerly out of the buggy.

The three men came up to us, and they each in turn introduced themselves.

Adam Cartwright, the dark haired, dark eyed eldest, was charming. He took my offered hand and kissed it delicately, smiling up at me.

Hoss was a bit more nervous, but kind. I could tell he had a good soul. When I offered my hand to him, he took it and squeezed it, enveloping it with both his big hands, making me feel very protected.

Benjamin Cartwright, the white haired patriarch, smiled warmly at me, the smile reaching all the way to his eyes. I could see Joe's smile in his.

"Welcome to the Ponderosa," he said to me, as I curtsied, and when I offered my hand to him he took it, returning my pressure with a gentle shake.

"Thank you, sir, from what I've seen of it, I've already fallen in love with it," I smiled back. He laughed, the sound filling the whole courtyard.

"People tend to do that. Come inside, Hop Sing will be mad at us if we dally and make the food cold." He offered me his arm and I took it, and we all went inside, except Hoss, who put the beautiful horse away.

A big fireplace greeted me, roaring with fire, even though it wasn't dark or cold yet. But the fire lent the whole great room a cozy, familial glow that made me smile in return. To the right of the fireplace, a beautiful sight met my eyes: an arsenal of guns. My appreciation was apparently evident on my face.

"Has Joe brought a fellow firearm enthusiast into the house without preparing us beforehand?" Ben asked, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Dinner is READY, Mista Cartlight, all my good food go to waste if you don't eat it now!" Hop Sing had prepared a feast and it was ready.

"Well, I guess the arms display will have to wait until after dinner, Miss Armenta. Hop Sing has been cooking for da-" Ben was interrupted by Joe quickly taking my arm and leading me to the table with a nervous laugh.

"Now don't bore her with our day-to-day life, Pa." He seemed nervous, which in turn made me laugh. It was going to be an entertaining evening.

Joe

Pa nearly ruined it with his mischievous tongue. I saw the twinkle of mischief that was in his eyes, when he said that he hadn't been prepared, and he almost said something outright when he addressed Hop Sing's preparations. It was true; I had cleaned all the guns, the great room, and had constantly bothered Hop Sing about the dinner. He had kicked me out of the kitchen in those past few days even more times than he usually kicked Hoss out of the kitchen in a week.

Even after all those preparations, I was still nervous. More nervous than I was when entering into the ring with a bronc to be broken. That was nothing compared to that moment. My necktie itched and I fought the urge to rip it off and throw it across the room.

Ruth, the cause of both my nerves and extreme joy, sat at the table like she was born to the spot. Laughing, her eyes sparkled, and her hair shone in the low lamp light. The golden chain she wore at her neck moved like drops of water around her neck, and it intrigued me further as to what it held. She conversed easily with my brothers and father, as they did with her, and the atmosphere was light and happy. Eventually, my nerves eased and joy overcame me. Here I was, sitting looking at the woman destined to be with me, and she was not only loved by my family but she also seemed to truly enjoy their company.

When it seemed as though everyone was done with dinner, Ruth got up to help Hop Sing with the clearing of the table. Hop Sing smiled widely at her.

"Me like you, Missy. You would stay if were my choice," he declared, laughing, and made her sit down and give him the dishes she had gathered up. Ruth blushed a lovely shade of pink. Pa raised his glass in agreement.

"Hear, hear! To Miss Armenta staying!" He said, and Adam and Hoss joined in with great cheers of approval. Ruth raised her glass and clinked it with theirs, and when I had clinked mine with my brothers' and fathers', she touched hers to mine, and leaned close to me.

"I do hope I will stay," she whispered and drank her wine, her blue eyes shining as bright as the crystal she drank from. I smiled, and the rest of the night passed in a blur, Ruth at the center of it.

Ruth

We ate a delicious dessert, Hop Sing cleaned up, this time allowing me to help, and then we all moved to the living room. I sat in one of the huge armchairs, engulfed in the softness of it, but feeling as safe as though I were in my mother's arms. We played a few games of chess, and talked about many things, the topic eventually coming to the subject of saddles and harnesses, and what styles were the best for different kinds of work. I personally favored the vaquero saddle, a style that remained, especially in California, from the Mexican Hacendados, the men that had received the Spanish land grants. The Cartwrights had heard of these saddles, but of course preferred the typical Western saddle, with a lower horn and cantle. The only reason I liked the saddles of the rancheros was because I had grown up riding in them; before my father started drinking heavily, he worked as a hand on a ranch, and he was taught to prefer the vaquero saddle by the caballeros that used its themselves. The higher horn allowed for the lariats to stay securely in their place, and the higher cantle helped the rider to sit more securely and more forward instead of in a relaxed pose that the western saddles allowed. I explained all this to them, and they listened attentively.

It soon came time to leave, however, as the moon was high in the sky and the stars had begun to twinkle. Adam offered to show me the saddles that they used while Joe hitched up the buggy. I bid farewell to Ben, Hoss, and Hop Sing, thanking them all, with my cheeks glowing from their hospitality. They all asked me to come again. Adam offered me his arm while Joe rushed out the door ahead of us. We walked out into the cold, Adam carrying a lantern, and the big oak door closed with a solid _clunk _behind me. The big barn was dark, but when Adam hung the lantern on a peg, it cast a soft glow around the vacant stall that was filled with tack.

"Miss Armenta-" I interrupted him. "Please, call me Ruth. I feel indebted to all of you for the lovely evening, the least you can do is call me by my first name," I smiled at him in the darkness. He returned my smile.

"Ruth. I know you want to see the tack we have, but I know you will have other chances to do so. I want to tell you that Joseph rarely brings the women he is interested in home. This is his fortress, his stronghold, but also his weakness, just as it is my father's fortress and weakness, just as it is all of ours. Bringing you here was not just a dinner invitation. Please bear that in mind when considering the matters of your heart, for your heart now holds his. Goodnight, Ruth," and with that, he nodded and left, just as Joe was coming in to get me. We rode to the hotel in the swaying buggy pulled by the beautiful bay, Joe whistling into the crisp night air.

Joe

I pulled up to the hotel and jumped out, running around the back of the buggy to help Ruth out. She had been quiet during the ride back, but it was a good quiet, and I could tell that she was happy. I offered her my hand, and she took it, gathering her skirts and stepping down. She didn't let go of my hand when her feet were solidly on the floor. Instead, she pulled me close, and then hugged me.

The moonlight was shining in her eyes when she stepped away, her cheeks glowing in competition with those deep blue eyes. I couldn't resist any longer.

I kissed her, my heart leaping into my mouth when I did so and then almost dying when she kissed me back. She held me tight, and I held her tighter. It was a beautiful kiss, a kiss that set me to tingling all over, setting my senses afire. I didn't want it to stop. I could have kissed her for the rest of my life.

But it ended. She pulled away and her eyes shone with all the lights of the moon and stars reflected in them. Ruth kissed me on the cheek and then picked up her skirts and ran away, up the stairs of the hotel and through the door. I stood there for a bit until the mare snuffed at me and I was shocked out of my trance. I turned around and walked to the buggy, got in, and the whole drive home all I could think of was Ruth, my Ruth.


End file.
